Midlake's Tim Smith had always been a reluctant frontman – so perhaps it is no surprise that when recording sessions for his band’s fourth album stalled he was the one to make a break.

In the fashion of Pink Floyd and Genesis, the band found his replacement within their own ranks and were revitalised, junking two years of songs and recording the album Antiphon in just six months.

Guitarist Eric Pulido took on Smith’s mantle – having already supported the singer on stage during previous tours.

“I think if we were going to be Midlake it was more natural for us to not appoint any new figure – especially another singer,” says Pulido from his Texan home.

“I was already singing a lot with Tim, doubling melodies and standing at the front as I was more vocal – it was a natural progression.

“When the band first started, Tim was writing demos with the plan to get another singer to do the songs. Everybody heard the demos and said, ‘You sound great, why don’t you be the singer?’.

“Over time it didn’t change – he played the role but didn’t want to be there. He loved recording and didn’t want to tour – he was pretty open about his feelings.

“We tried to help him fill that void of him not being as vocal whether it was talking or singing, binding together to create something that still had a force.”

Different direction

Smith was a songwriting force for the band – taking credit for both songs and lyrics on albums.

With the initial recording sessions for the band’s fourth album, the band was jamming musical ideas for Tim’s lyrics and melodies.

“We were trying to embrace that organic thing,” says Pulido. “But when you spend so much time on something and beat it to death you lose that organic nature. A lot of the ideas were best at the beginning – it was a big struggle for Tim because he felt the onus of trying to bring these songs to life, or help put life back into them.”

Pulido admits that towards the end of the initial sessions, he, Smith and bassist Paul Alexander were spending a lot of time trying to make the songs work.

“I probably was optimistic to a fault,” says Pulido. “It didn’t feel like Tim was going to leave, we were just going to work it out.”

When Smith finally quit, the remaining members of the band threw out the old songs and decided to have another go.

“At the time nobody knew Tim had left,” says Pulido. “At that point it was an experiment – if it worked, great, if it didn’t then Midlake was done. There wasn’t a ton of pressure.”

Alongside the follow-up to 2010’s The Courage Of Others, both Smith and Pulido had been working on their own solo projects. It was one of Pulido’s own songs – Provider – which initially galvanised the band into action.

“We were figuring out the best way to work together,” says Pulido. “We were so used to how things worked with Tim in the band.

“The process was cathartic for everybody – it was more democratic. Everybody was being heard – figuratively and literally.

“We very much had a part on the past records but I think for this record, although not everyone wrote the lyrics and melodies, the contributions that everyone put forth on a song here or there made it easier to say: ‘Let’s just own this as Midlake’.

“Provider gave us some confidence – putting down something that we could stand behind and contribute to. It made you excited to get to the next song. I think subconsciously it gave us a little wind in our sails – although we still had a way to go.

“Everything was a work in progress – there wasn’t a plan, we were flying by the seat of our pants, which is not a bad way to make a record.”

An effort was made to learn from previous mistakes and to capture ideas as early as possible.

“Each of our records has been a bit of a left-turn and this one is no exception,” says Pulido, who has been part of the band ever since their first EP Milkmaid Grand Army.

“The hope is there’s a common thread through all the albums that you can feel is Midlake.”

The band has moved from lo-fi electronic indie on debut Bamnan And Silvercork to rustic Americana on their breakthrough album The Trials Of Van Occupanther, right up to the UK folk and psychedelic influences on The Courage Of Others.

This latest album feels like more of a band effort, keeping some of the psychedelic elements but building on a much rockier band-orientated base.

Some of the improvisational elements are writ large, especially on tracks such as The Old And The Young, Ages and the instrumental Vale.

Although Antiphon will obviously play a big part in the band’s touring set, Pulido says the band isn’t turning its back on the older material.

“I’m a fan first,” he says. “A lot of people know and love those songs – they might have moved them in a certain way that might not move you when you’re playing them.

“Those songs are for the people who are listening to you. There’s a piece of the puzzle missing, but we were part of those songs as well.

“We sing them together, and we go back and rediscover parts we weren’t playing or singing before – breathing life into the music.”

Support from Horse Thief.

  • Midlake play St George’s Church, St George’s Road, Brighton, on Thursday, February 27. Doors 7pm, SOLD OUT. For returns, visit www.meltingvinyl.co.uk